A440

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘A440’ as in… are you in tune or out of tune?

Our piano has just been tuned, and it sounds fantastic! Thanks to Chris, the piano technician.

Watching Chris work is fascinating. He’s got a leather bag full of goodies. First, he pulls out a tuning fork that resonates at a specific constant pitch known as A440. This four-hundred and forty Hertz tone serves as the standard for musical pitch and is the musical note A above middle C on the piano keyboard. Next, Chris strikes the tuning fork on the bottom edge of his shoe with his right hand and brings the tuning fork to his ear. Then, with his left hand on the tuning wrench, he makes adjustments until the musical note A on the piano matches the A440 of the tuning fork.

Working with octaves, thirds, fourths, and fifths, Chris creates what could easily be called a harmonious relationship between the tuning fork, the A key, and the rest of the notes on the piano. As a result, every key on the piano, all 88, comes into tune with that A key, tuned to A440 from the tuning fork.

There is, reasonably speaking, a metaphor here for our spirited lives. We tune our lives to many things every day. So tuning our lives to A440 is the difference between being in tune and out of tune. Christ is our A440. Let’s play with this metaphor. We are constantly moving into and out of tune with Christ and one another. Personally, when I’m out of tune, it’s because I’ve fallen out of harmony with those I know and love. Thinking more of myself than others usually results in dissonance in my relationships.

On the other hand, life together has a reasonably pleasant tone to it – there is harmony when I’m in tune with Christ. When we’re in tune with Christ and with one another, we generally play much better together; there’s melody and harmony to the rhythms of our lives.

So, are you in tune or out of tune today? Are you listening for your A440?

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